My grandfather, Alberto Manetta, immigrated to the United States from Argentina in 1968 to make a better life for himself. The document provided is the essence of his immigration story, as he was drawn to the U.S. in pursuit of a career in medicine. Fresh out of medical school, at the age of 24, he knew that attempting to practice medicine in his home country would be a dead end. With little to no family holding him back, he took a chance knowing that any success he found in America would be better than his current situation. The document reads, "The Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates certifies that Alberto Manetta has satisfied all the requirements of the council, has successfully passed its examination, and has been awarded [this] certificate." In other words, he was accepted to come to the U.S. on a visa to practice medicine. The sentimental value of this object is not in the physical worth of this piece of paper, but in everything that occurred in my grandfather's life after receiving this piece of paper. From meeting his wife and starting a family, to opening his own gynecology/oncology practice, accepting a fellowship at Georgetown University, teaching at Penn State University, and becoming Senior Associate Dean of Educational Affairs at UC Irvine, he accomplished so many things that would've never been possible without this acceptance into the U.S. 

– Emily Manetta

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant